Amy Greenwell Garden Hosts Seed Exchange in June
Captain Cook, HI… Where else could you sit around with the island’s best gardeners and talk about the merits of mulches or the best way to stake your summer tomato crop? The 6th Annual Hawai‘i Island Seed Exchange will be held at the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook, Hawaii, on Saturday, June 21, 2008, from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. This yearly event, themed Fire and Agriculture, is a way for farmers and gardeners island-wide to share saved seed, cuttings, roots, hulis, and plants of food crops that do well in their home gardens and farms. Admission is free.
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A lot goes on at the Seed Exchange besides talk of fertilizers and the tasting of unusual fruits. There’s taro planting with taro experts Jerry Konanui and Manuel Rego, and storytelling with Bishop Museum storytellers Kealoha Kelekolio and Tom Cummings, and talks by top gardeners and botanists such as Craig Elevitch of the Agroforestry Network talking about his new project, “One Year To Abundance”, or Alvin Yoshinaga of the University of Hawaii Mānoa Seed Conservation Laboratory sharing the knowledge of home seed saving techniques. The event also provides a forum to discuss ways to encourage community food self-reliance and the development of local community food resources.
Attendees are encouraged to bring an “offering” of fruits or vegetables from their garden to share following the opening ceremony. Newcomers to gardening are welcome. The entire community is encouraged to participate in the “Seed Festival” to promote biodiversity, local food security, and home food production for all.
Among the agricultural educational groups invited to participate are Hui Kalo Moku O Kiewe, Hawaii Seed, West Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers Association, Kona Coffee Farmers Alliance, Hawaii Island Food Basket, Slow Food Hawaii, Uluwehi Permaculture Farm, Hawaii Island School Garden Network, New Moon Foundation, Hawaii Country Farm Bureau, Future Forests, TREE, Sustainable Kohala, Kona Outdoor Circle Master Gardeners Program, Hawaii Organic Farmers Association, CTAHR Plant Pathologist Scott Nelson, Kealaola Farms, Agroforestry Network, and others.
Because of the coqui frog and fire ant problems, the Seed Exchange is discouraging potted plant exchanges this year. Attendees who travel from a distance are invited to spend Friday night camping at Amy Greenwell Garden. Reservations for the camp spots, which are limited in number, may be made by contacting the Garden at (808) 323-3318 in advance. Campers must be bringing seed and other resources to share the following day. Campers are encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share for the luau and pig roast on Friday night.
Gardening is the most popular pastime in America. More than 57 million Americans call themselves gardeners. And in Hawaii, gardening is a year-round activity. Know your Farmer Alliance created the first Seed Exchange in 2003 at a local farm to provide the community with a venue where organic and sustainable gardening ideas and techniques could be shared. Attendance grew dramatically as interest in organic and sustainable gardening has flourished. The event moved to Amy Greenwell Gardens in 2004. Each year more and more farmers and gardeners attend with seeds, cuttings, and roots of food crops to share.
The Seed Exchange serves as an excellent way to introduce newcomers to truly dedicated backyard gardeners with years of experience in seed saving and organic gardening. The gardening movement resonates with a whole range of people, from nouveau cuisine gourmet chefs, to wellness advocates and green energy supporters.
Nancy Redfeather is a teacher and gardener in Kona and Coordinator of the Hawaii Island Seed Exchange. She and her husband Gerry Herbert are developing a 1.2-acre organic/sustainable experimental and educational mini-farm in Honalo.
For further information about the Hawaii Island Seed Exchange call the Amy Greenwell Garden at (808) 323-3318 or email agg@bishopmuseum.org. To contact Nancy Redfeather, email nancyredfeather@yahoo.com
This project is funded under the Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program. The views and conclusions in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U. S. Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U. S. Government. This project is also an initiative under the Office of Innovation and Improvement of the U.S. Department of Education. Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations, also known as ECHO, provides educational enrichment to Native and non-Native children and life-long learners.
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